Definition of "reservation"

reservation

/ˌɹɛzəˈveɪʃən/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural reservations
1. The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
  1. The practice of reserving part of the consecrated bread of the Eucharist for the communion of the sick.
  2. The act of the pope to reserve to himself the right to nominate to certain benefices.
2. Something that is withheld or kept back.
3. (often in the plural) A limiting qualification regarding certainty; a doubt.
  Quotations
  Apart from the problemette with the punchy bits, I've got only one reservation with the game and that's that the tie-in element is a bit shaky to say the least.
  1992, Jonny Quest (video game review) in Your Sinclair (issue 75, page 16)
4. (US) A tract of land set apart by the US government for the use of a Native American people; Indian reservation (compare Canadian reserve).
5. An arrangement by which accommodation or transport arrangements are secured in advance.
  Quotations
  I haven't booked, so I don't have a clue as to whether the service will be busy or not. Supposedly, reservations are compulsory, but I want to find out what would happen if you just turn up.
  2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 68
6. (UK) The area which separates opposing lanes of traffic on a divided motorway or dual carriageway; see also central reservation.
  Quotations
  A three-lane motorway can be up to (or even more than) 35 metres wide, with a hard shoulder on either side and a central reservation.
  2023 August 23, Chris Howe, “Green screen: HS2's route through the shires”, in RAIL, number 990, page 34
7. (India) The setting aside of a certain percentage of vacancies in government institutions for members of backward and underrepresented communities (defined primarily by caste and tribe).
8. (law, politics) A power of an overseeing authority to suspend legislation in the jurisdiction being overseen pending the approval of a higher authority. Such as a provincial/state governor reserving a bill passed by the state/provincial legislature from assent, pending approval of the federal government; or a federal bill passed by federal parliament being reserved by the viceroy pending approval by the crown.